Kalilombe: Chilima’s death left me unemployed

The man who was at Saulos Chilima’s side on the day the former Vice President boarded his final flight has spoken candidly about the devastating personal toll of that tragedy — revealing that he has been unempl

oyed ever since.

Davie Kalilombe, who served as Special Assistant responsible for Protocol in the Office of the Vice President, was among those present at Kamuzu International Airport when Chilima boarded the Malawi Defence Force aircraft bound for Mzuzu on that fateful day.

More than a year on, Kalilombe says he has not been able to find work.

“I lost a good boss,” he said. “Chilima’s death has left me unemployed until today.”

Kalilombe’s testimony also shed fresh light on the events surrounding the doomed flight.

He confirmed that Chilima sat at the back of the aircraft, where the VIP seat had been arranged at the time, and that the convoy proceeded directly to the apron where the plane was stationed — bypassing the security screening normally required at the airport’s VIP lounge.

“There was no time to disembark for screening,” Kalilombe explained. “We were in a hurry and trusted one another as a team.”

He also addressed the absence of Chilima’s wife, Mary, from the trip — saying it was not unusual and raised no concern at the time.

“This was something she occasionally did. It was normal to us,” he said.

For Kalilombe, the crash did not only claim a leader he admired — it brought his career to an abrupt and painful halt, one from which he is still waiting to recover.

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